The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure. Accordingly, such statements are not intended to constitute an admission of prior art.
Hydraulic systems for a transmission in a vehicle can lubricate and cool the transmission by communicating a hydraulic fluid from a sump to at least one of a plurality of subsystems of a hydraulic circuit. In battery electric vehicles, the transmission can include a direct drive transmission. Direct drive transmissions do not include gear selection systems utilizing torque transfer devices that are hydraulically activated and deactivated. Therefore, failure conditions including fluid leakage resulting in low fluid levels and hydraulic fluid blockage within the hydraulic circuit will not have any impact on the ability of the transmission to provide output torque for driving the vehicle. However, failure conditions can result in transmission components not being adequately cooled and lubricated. Damage to the transmission components can occur if such failure conditions are not addressed.
It is known, for example, to monitor hydraulic fluid levels within hydraulic control systems by measuring the fluid level within a sump. It is further known, for example, to utilize pressure sensors placed throughout a hydraulic control system to detect hydraulic fluid blockage. Such sensors and measuring devices can add to cost and limit packaging constraints within hydraulic control systems.